Irish

The Irish are a Gaelic ethnic group native to the island of Ireland in the British Isles. The Irish population, like the island, is divided between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, a colony of the United Kingdom. Almost all ethnic Irish people are Catholic, maintaining their culture for centuries. Most Irish people can speak both English and Irish. The Irish diaspora is one of the largest diasporas, as years of British oppression led to millions of Irish moving overseas and forming large communities. 4,581,269 live in Ireland, 1,810,863 in Northern Ireland, 40,000,000+ in the United States, 14,000,000 in the United Kingdom, 7,000,000 in Australia, 4,544,870 in Canada, 1,000,000 in Argentina, 600,000 in Mexico, and 600,000 in New Zealand; there are more Irish-Americans than there are Irish people in any other country, including the island itself.